Utah chiropractor charged with exploiting the elderly

WEST JORDAN — A Utah chiropractor has been charged with multiple counts of exploiting the elderly.

Brandon Lee Babcock, 37, was charged in 3rd District Court with 10 counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult, all second- and third-degree felonies, and communications fraud, a second-degree felony.

Babcock, a chiropractor from Cedar Hills, "advertises that he is from the 'Functional Endocrinology Institute of Utah' and claims to be able to cure diabetes and other health issues," according to the charges.

He advertised that potential patients would be given a free consultation with a chance to "opt-out" within 30 days of beginning.

But between Oct. 26, 2010, and Feb. 22, 2012, prosecutors say Babcock charged potential clients tens of thousands of dollars, even though they told him they weren't interested in his program.

A 74-year-old man said that in June 2011, Babcock opened a Chase Health Advance account in his name and billed them more than $10,000, even though he did not want to participate in the program and did not authorize him to open the account, according to the charges.

A 79-year-old woman had a similar story. She said that in 2010, Babcock took out a loan for $4,800 in her name from Chase Health Advance without her permission, court records state.

Prosecutors outlined nine other cases in court documents, all from victims in their 70s and 80s, who were billed for loans they did not approve. The largest was for $6,000.

Babcock was being held in the Salt Lake County Jail Tuesday in lieu of $200,000 bail.